Thermostatic valve



March 22, 1960 H. B. DRAPEAU .2,929,558

THERMOSTATIC VALVE Filed Aug. 22. 1955 2 sheets-sheet 1 IN1/EN TOR. HAROLD WH/DMU March 22, 1960 H. B. DRAPEAU THERMOSTATIC VALVE Filed Aug. 22. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

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UnitedStates Patent O THERMOSTATIC VALVE Harold B. Drapeau, Oak Park, Ill., assigner to The D ole Valve Company, Chicago, Ill., a corporation of Illinois Application August 22, 1955, Serial No. 529,788

7 Claims. (Cl. 236-34) This invention relates to improvements in thermostatically operated Valves particularly adapted for use in pressurized cooling systems for internal combustion engmes.

An object of the present invention is to provide a simpler and more ecient form of thermostatic valve for controlling the temperature of the'coolant of an internal combustion engine, so arranged as to reduce the pressure necessary to open the valve and to provide a positive seal Vwhen the valve is closed.

Another object of the invention is to simplify the construction of thermostatic valves for controlling the flow of the coolant for cooling internal combustion engines by suspending the valve from the housing therefor and carrying a thermal element on the valve and eiecting opening of the valve by the direct reaction of the thermal element against the valve housing.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved form of thermostatic valve for controlling the flow of coolant through the cooling system of an internal combustion engine in which the valve is yieldably suspended from its housing and has a resilient valve member engageable with the housing to block the flow of coolant through the housing when the valve is closed, and carries a thermal element having direct engagement with the housing and carrying a second valve for relieving pressure from the lirst valve upon predetermined rises in temperature and prior to opening of the iirst valve.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a novel form of thermostatically operated valve for the pressurized cooling systems of internal combustion engines in which the valve is suspended from its housing and is movable against pressure by a thermal element to accommodate the passage of coolant through the radiator and in which a `second valve carried by the thermal element initially opens to relieve pressure from the first -valve and accommodates an initial small volume ow of coolant through the valve housing to cool the engine during low outside temperature conditions.

A further object of the invention is to provide a thermostatically operated valve so constructed and arranged as to insure the utmost eliiciency of an automotive heater unit during cold weather while at the Same time accommodating a suicient flow of coolant to efficiently cool the engine during hot weather conditions.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a thermostatically operated valve which will accommodate a low iow rate of coolant during cold weather conditions and a high flow rate of coolant during hot weather conditions with no adjustment of the valve.

Y These and other objects of the invention will appear from time to time as the following specitication proceeds and with refernce to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken through the water jacket and hose connection fitting of an internal combustion engine, showing a valve constructed in accordance with my invention in position in ICC the cylinder head of the engine, with the ow through the cooling radiator closed;

Figure 2 is a top plan view of the valve shown in Figure 1 with the valve removed from the cylinder head;

Figure 3 is a transverse sectional view taken through the valve substantially along line III-III of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view somewhat like Figure 3, but showing the valve in a wide open position;

Figure 5 is a plan View of a modified form of valve constructed in accordance with my invention; and

Figure 6 is a transverse sectional view taken substantially along line VI-VI of Figure 5.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated in the drawings, I have shown in Figure I a thermostatically operated valve 10 having a flanged housing 11 and. a valve body 12 yieldably suspended therefrom and moved with respect thereto to accommodate the flow of coolant through the cooling radiator of an internal combustion engine, by operation of a thermal element 13, as will hereinafter more clearly appear as this specification proceeds.

The valve housing 11 is shown as having a ange 15 defining the lower margin thereof and abutting a gasket 16 on a cylinder head 17 of an internal combustion engine. A cylindrical wall 19 denes the inner margin of the ange and extends upwardly therefrom and terminates into a top wall portion 20 extending inwardly from said wall 19. The Valve housing 11 is secured to the cylinder head 17, as by a hose fitting 21 abutting the ange 1S and suitably secured to the cylinder head to maintain the valve 10 in position in the cylinder head.

The cylindrical wall 19 of the valve housing 11 is shown as having at least one port 22 leading therethrough and as terminating at its upper end in an inwardly dished wall po`rtion 23 of the top wall portion 20, the inside of which forms an annular recess 24 for engagement by the upper end of an annular wall 25 of the valve body 12 when the valve is closed.

The top wall portion 20 of the valve housing 10 is shown as having a central portion 26, recessed upwardly from the inside of said top wall portion and connected by a strap 28 of an inverted V-shaped formation extending thereacross' and forming ports 27 on opposite sides thereof. The ow of coolant through the ports 27 is controlled by a resilient annular valve member 29 secured to and extending outwardly from the upper end of a cylinder 30 of the thermal element 13, and seating against the port defined by the upwardly recessed central portion 26.

The top wall portion 2i) of the valve housing 11 is shown as having a plurality of inwardly hooked ears 31 spaced outwardly rom the central portion 26 and riveted to said top wall portion and depending therefrom. The ears 31 form a suspension means for a conical tension spring 32, supported on an inwardly hooked portion. of said ears and depending therefrom. The lower end of the spring 32 is shown as being hooked to a plurality of ears 33, herein shown as being three in number and extending upwardly from the wall of a generally cylindrical recep1 tacle 35 for the thermal element 13, and shown as being formed integrally with the valve body 12.

The valve body 12 has an inclined wall 36 extending outwardly from the receptacle 35 in the form of the inverted frustum of a cone. The inclined wall 36 has a plurality of ports 37 leading therethrough, and terminates into a shoulder 39. The shoulder 39 is shown as facing downwardly and as having an annular resilient valve member 40 carried thereby for engagement with a shoulder 41, extending outwardly from the wall 19 of the housing 11, to block the ilow of coolant through the ports 22 when the valve 40 is closed.

, The thermal element 13 is of the so-called wax 'or Patented Mar. 22, 196e' power type of thermal element, the cylirlderqtlV of which Vforms a guide for a power member or plunger 44 abutting a socket 45 formed at the peak of the strap 28.

'Ihe thermal element 1.3 also includes a casing '46 c ontaining a fusible thermally expansible material (not `shown)` acting against a flexible membrane (not shown) at, the upper endof said casing, for extending the piston rial contained within the casing 46, at the operating range of the thermal element, as in the Patent No.

'12,368,181 dated January 3o, 1945. Y

The .thermal element 13 alsoincludesra heat conduc- .44 from the cylinder 30 upon fusion of the fusible mate- 'tor ring 47 encircling the upper end portion of the casing l 46 and abutted at its lower end by a compression spring 49. The lower end of the compression spring 49 is Yseated-on an annular shoulder S0 extending inwardly Qfrom. the lower end of the receptacle 35. `'Ihespring 49 Lis lighter than thespring 32and accommodates the valve '29V to openprior to the valve 40, to relieve pressure from .zthelarger area valve 40, and accommodate said lvalve to `lopen. at a higher temperature range than the temperature l frange of opening of the valve 29.

' The valve 29 opening prior to opening of Ythe valve 40 not only relieves pressure from the valve 40, but also provides a restricted owof coolant as the'pisto'n 44 Aiis-initially extended from the cylinder 30, as where the 'temperature of the water may not be high enough to make fit desirable' to open the valve 40.l Thus during cold i'offthe engine at normal operating Ytenziperatures duringV cold weather conditions and kthus assures that the teml perature of the coolant be suciently warm to enable the heater to adequately heat the car. During hot weather irconditions, however, the two valves 29 and 40 will open, to assure a maximum ow of coolant to adequately cool the engine. Y

l'lffhe vthermostatic valveY thus provides two operating ranges, one for winter and theV other ',forsum'mer condi- :tions andv enables a single thermal element and valveto 15e-used the year around without changing `the thermal lelements or valves, so as to provide sucientheat in rwinter to assure that the Ycar may be comfortably heated `by the hot water heater therefor. Y IIa-,The valve illustrated in Figures 5 and 6 operates on '-thesame principles as thatshown inFigures l, 2, 3 and 4.

In this form of the invention the small area pressure relieving valve is in the form of a resilient annular valve member 55 encircling a cylinder 56 ofa thermal element Y57 and engageable with a central opening or port 59 in a valve'member 60 to close the valve. The valve member 60 is provided with an annular portion 61, the outer margin of Awhich terminatesrinto spaced upright ,stakes 63 slidably guided within a cylindrical wall 65 of a valve housing 66.

, The wall V63 isV connected together at its upper end at ldiametrically opposed points by a'strap 67 extending inwardly and upwardly from the upper margin of the wall 66 to a peak 69, the inner margin of which forms a V socket 70 VKadapted to be `engaged by the upper end ofV the valve member 60 and thermal element 57 from the housing 66 and also accommodates vertical movement of said thermal element and valve member with respect to said housing and serves as a return spring for said valve member.

The thermal element 57, like the thermal element 13, is a so called Vernay or power type of thermal element containing a fusible material Within a casing 80 of the thermal element, which fuses at the operating range of the thermal element, to extend the plunger or piston 71 with respect to the cylinder 56.

The thermal element 57 is shown as having a heat conducting metal ring 81 abutted at its upper end by the resilient annular valve 55. The valve is retained in position against the top surface of the ring 81 as by a sleeve 83 encircling the cylinder 56. The sleeve 83 is abutted at its upper end by a spring retainer 84 for a compression spring 85. The spring` 85 is seated at its lower end on the top vsurface of the annular surface 61 of the valve member and is retained to said annular surface by the spring retainer 84. Spaced ears 86 are shown as being pressed downwardly from the retainer 84 and as extending inwardly ofthe coils of the spring 85 and forming a guide and retainer therefor. A snap ring 87 is snapped within Van outwardlyopening groove 88 in the cylinder 56 and abuts the top surface of the retainer 84 for maintaining'said retainer in' engagement with the upper end of the sleeve 83 and for maintaining the sleeve 83 in position on the cylinderg56. f

The undersurfaee'of ,the annular lportion 61 of the valve member 60 is Vabutted by a resilient annular valve 90, extending beyondthe upright stakes 6,3 and biased into engagement'with the undersurface'of'a ange 91 of the valve housing 66, bythe spring'77, to block the passage of coolant through said housing and through the radiator vof the internal" combustion engine when the valve 55 is closed. The valve 90 is shown as being held in abutting engagement with the bottom surface of the annular surface 61 of the valve member 60 as by an annular ring 93, an inner end portion 94 of which is turned upwardly along the inner marginfof the annular member 61 and inwardly therefrom into engagement with the upper surface of said Vannular member; TheV inturned portion 94 of the lannular ring 93 thus forms at its inner margin; the port 59 and seat for the valve 55. Y

When the thermostatic valve is in place in the cylinder head: of aninternal combustion engine,`and as the engine is started and the temperature of the coolant rises to the operating range of the thermal element 57, the cylinder 56 will slidably move along the vplunger or piston 71 against the`compression spring 85. This` will move the valve 55l out of engagement with the port 59 and accomodate coolant to ow through said port 'to the radiator. VAs the temperature of the coolant increases, as during-hot weather driving conditions, the valve member 60and resilient valve 90 will then move against the tension of the tension spring 77 suspending said valve member from the housing 66 toV move thevalve 90 out of engagement with the ange 91 into a wide open position, accommodatingr -the full Vow of' coolant Vthrougltl the housing-66; f" r Asthe temperature of the'coolantis lowered, as when' the engine has Ybeen stopped, the tension spring 77 will retractably Vmove the cylinder 56 along theY piston 71 and at'the 'same timefmove the valve member 60 and valve 90 t'owa'rd a' closed position, YUponV closing of the'valve byengag'ement of the valve member 90 Ywith the under@ l surface Vof the flange 91, thespring 85 will continuere- Y through.

upright lugs or ears 79, extending upwardly from the Y annular portion 61 and bent over the bottom coil of the vspring 17.k The spring 77 thus serves to Suspend tractable movement Vof the cylinder 56 along the piston 7 1j untilV the resilient va1ve'55 is brought into engagement with the port 59, to block the passage of uid therelIt maybe seen from the foregoing that the pressure resisting -opening of Athe'small area valve is vrelatively small comparedwith'the pressure resisting opening of the large area valve. The small area valvewill thus open at substantially the same temperature regardless of variations in pressure resisting opening ofthe valve, and particularly increasing pressures due to increasing, engine speeds. Y

The lag in opening` of the valveV which frequently occurs: upon increases in engine speed is thus avoided, resulting in a better performance of the thermostatic valve and less variation in engine temperature and temperature of the coolant, with a resultant more uniform Water temperatures for the hot water heater and less likelihood of boiling the antifreeze away if the pressure cap should be faulty.

It will be understood that modifications and variations of the present invention may be eected without departing from the spirit and scope of the novel concepts thereof.

I claim as my invention:

l. In a thermostatic valve particularly adapted to control the temperature of the cooling system of an internal combustion engine, a housing having a wall the lower margin of which defines a valve seat, a valve member guided for movement along said wall and having a resilient valve projecting therefrom for engagement with said seat, a tension spring suspending said valve member from said housing and biasing said valve in a valve closing direction into engagement with said seat, a thermal sensitive element situated entirely upstream of said valve member and said resilient valve seated on said valve member and reacting against said housing to effect opening of said valve against coolant pressure upon predetermined increases in temperature, and a second valve on said thermal sensitive element and operated thereby to accommodate the ow of coolant through said housing and to relieve pressure from said iirst valve at a lower temperature range of operation than that of said first valve.

2. In a thermostatic valve particularly adapted to control the temperature of the coolant of an internal combustion engine, a housing having a generally cylindrical wall having a port leading therethrough and having a top extending inwardly from said wall with a port in the central portion thereof, a valve member guided `for movement along said wall and having a valve therefor controlling the flow of fluid through said port in said wall, a thermal sensitive element seated in said valve member, spring means suspending said valve member from said housing, a second valve on said thermal sensitive element engageable with the top of said housing to block the ow of coolant through the port therein, and spring means biasing said second valve into engagement with the top of said housing, said last mentioned spring means being weaker than said iirst mentioned spring means, to accommodate said valve on said thermal sensitive element to open prior to opening of said first mentioned valve to relieve pressure therefrom.

3. A thermostatic valve particularly adapted to control the temperature of the coolant of an internal combustion engine, comprising a housing, a valve member guided for movement along said housing and having a resilient valve engageable with said housing to control the flow of coolant therethrough, a tension spring suspending said valve member from said housing and biasing said valve into a closed position, a thermal sensitive element carried by said valve member, a second valve on said thermal sensitive element controlling the flow of low temperature coolant through said housing and relieving pressure from said first mentioned valve, and a spring engageable with said thermal sensitive element, for biasing said second valve in a closed position, said thermal sensitive element having an extensible piston reacting against said housing for moving said thermal sensitive element with respect to said housing upon predetermined increases in temperature, said second spring being a compression spring, weaker than said tension spring and accommodatingsaid second valve to open prior to opening of said rst mentionedvalve.

f 4. In a thermostatic valve structure, a valve housing providing a. valve seat and having at least one port in communication with said valve seat, a valve body movable along said housing, a valve carried by said valve body for engagement with said seat, a thermal sensitive element carried by said valve body and having a piston engageable with said housing and extensible upon predetermined increases in temperature, for moving said valve body with respect to said housing, a valve carried by said thermal sensitive element and operable to relieve pressure from said iirst valve prior to opening thereof, a spring suspending said valve body from said housing and biasing said iirst valve in a closed position, and a second spring weaker than said lirst spring for biasing said second valve in a closed position and accommodating opening of said second valve prior to opening of said rst valve upon operation of said thermal sensitive element.

5. In a thermostatic valve structure, a valve housing providing a valve seat and having a port in communication with said seat, a valve body guided for movement along said housing and carrying a lirst resilient annular valve for engagement with said seat, said valve body having a receptacle thereon, a thermal sensitive element carried by said receptacle and having a piston engageable with said housing, a spring seated between said receptacle and thermal sensitive element and biasing said thermal sensitive element in an extended position with respect t0 said receptacle, a second resilient annular valve on said thermal sensitive element, said housing having a seat spaced inwardly from said first mentioned seat and a port in communication therewith, said spring biasing said second valve into engagement with said seat, and a tension spring carried by said housing and having connection with said valve body for suspending said valve body from said housing and biasing said first valve in engagement with its seat, said last mentioned spring being stronger than said first mentioned spring and holding said iirst valve closed upon extensible movement of said piston to open said second valve.

6. In a thermostatic valve structure, a valve housing providing a valve seat and having a port in communication with said seat, a valve body guided for movement along said housing, a tension spring suspending said valve body from said housing, a irst resilient annular valve on said valve body and biased into engagement with said seat by said tension spring, said valve body having a port leading therethrough the margin of which defines a second seat of smaller diameter than said first seat, a thermal sensitive element carried by said valve body, a compression spring yieldably supporting said thermal sensitive element on said valve body, and a second resilient annular valve carried by said thermal sensitive element and biased into engagement with said seat on said valve body by said compression spring, said thermal sensitive element having a piston engageable with said housing and extensible to move said thermal sensitive element and second valve against the bias of said compression spring to initially open said second valve and relieve pressure from said first valve and then to open said first valve against the bias of said tension spring upon continued increases in temperature.

7. In a thermostatic valve, a Valve body having a tiowv opening therethrough and a valve seat extending about said opening and facing in an upstream direction, abutment means supported by said body centrally of said opening, a thermal sensitive element including a cylindrical casing having a valve portion and a piston extensible from said casing overa predetermined temperature range adapted to abut said abutment means, an apertured valve member mounted on said casing downstream of said valve portion for limited reciprocable movement relative thereto having a sealing portion upstream of said valve seat foi-cooperation therewith in the control of ovvtlifo'ngh said opening in Asaid valve body,rsaid valve portion on the asing of said thermal sensitive element cooperatingwith the-abertura in said valve member in the control of ow therethrough, and spring means biasing said valve portion towardthe aperture in said valve member and said valve membertoward, said valve seat first accommodating movement` of said casing through said limited yreciprocable movement with respect to said valve member to move said,Y valve portion in an upstream direction away from theaperturein said valve member and then accommodating movement of said casing to move said valve member in an Upstream direction away from said valve seat upon @rogressive Vheating of said thermal sensitive element to extend said piston from said casing. I

K j"7 7il-lefefelicesY Cited the ileof Vpatent i UNITED STATES PATENTSy Frenchmf. -v June 1s, Boyle July 15, Carson'.` Aug. 16,

` Radford Feb. v25, Rose Sept. 26,

` Wood Jan. 15,

Puster a Oct. 22, FORIGN PATENTS France Feb. 24, 

